Jumping into July: Frugal Friends Financial Fun

[needastrongoneagain]

New 'Fred.

Very low spend couple of days.

£12 AdBlue but that's expenses.

Will be back to post fully later.

DD wants to see Oppenheimer Tayto but I'm reluctant because of the length of it!
Well we did Llandudno yesterday and had a great time. Walked to the summit of Great Orme, saving £39 by not using cable car or funicular railway 😳. £2.60 in the arcade, DD treated us to donuts, £27 on the best fish & chips for a long time, £21 on pub drinks. Anglesey today.

Hi, DH has had a couple of messages from DS at Leeds. And a couple of video clips. Including one of him attached to some infused oxygen machine, there were different flavours which claimed to do different things. I think he’d chosen the ‘hangover cure’ one!

@ememem84 that food sounds divine!

Nothing much in the way of back to school stuff needed here. Just a pair of astroturf trainers, which I’ll get ds2 to look for and choose after payday on Thursday.

Thanks for all the solidarity re the flooring, yy to how expensive trades are these days. When I think what they charge for the hour compared to what I get paid an hour I could cry (I appreciate it's not a complete like for like due to other benefits like sick pay but even so!)

Em I feel your pain re periods mine are awful atm, I've got to go for a hysterscope next week which I'm really not looking forward to. They think I've got polyps which is making them so heavy.

My extra hours/contract change starts the week after next. Really hope it makes a noticeable difference to my pay packet, its hard to predict by the time they take tax and pension out 🫤

Dd and I went out last night, they are doing a weekend of concerts locally to us and we saw Sophie Ellis-Baxter, she was so good!! The weather was annoying (we got completely drenched!) but still managed to have a really good time. Spent around £40 on food and drinks as weren't allowed to take anything in with us and we were there from 4pm til late.

Quiet day today, dd working and I need to do some housework.

Can anyone recommend a face cream that's good for combination skin that doesn't cost a fortune? I usually buy the la rouche duo one but it's not been on offer for ages and I can't justify £20 for one tiny tube anymore.

Evening.

Weather has largely been kind for the Leeds Fest. Heavy showers predicted today, but we've not had any and we are very close to the site.

Food sounds good Em, and sorry re the period issues.

Sounds like my kind of day that @northender, love active busy holidays like yours.

Blooming flakey friend tayto! I've heard similar re Oppenheimer.

Same age as me kessie, well done on being organised.

Ouch re the council tax bill rum, hope it all sorts itself out. I hate being told I owe money, makes me anxious.

Good haul martha, and sensible re the charity shops. Prepare the queue Monday!

Similarly organised re finances post payday. Done my budget and used last months excess to chuck at the mortgage and buy a few holiday bits rather than from the holiday budget.

NSD yesterday and today. Had a bbq at my nephews today and a lovely afternoon with them. A friend brought us a huge pork pie yesterday for a giggle so that's any snack sorted today for DH and DS (can't see me eating again).

Tomorrow will buy drinks at the cricket club but it's been a low spend bank holiday weekend and I've caught up a bit with some chores too.

Menu plan
Veggie shepherds pie (2 nights)
Aubergine parmigiana
Chickpea and spinach curry.
1 x eating eating out.
Tuna apple pasta bake
Roast chicken (maybe used in other ways than a dinner)

Ps - there's no sense trying to get anywhere or go far if you live near Leeds Fest, traffic too mad. Hence a quiet BH weekend. If any parents are collecting tomorrow, be warned!

girlie it sucks. thankfully today has seemingly eased off somwwhat. So we’re just on period pants right now. Nothing else. Thank goodness. I’m sure that it’s just a settling in phase. But I don’t remember them being that painful pre going on the pill when I was 21…..

hey ho. Tomorrow is a new day.

I made Jack Munroes mushroom risotto today, first time I've ever made a risotto!! It was really delicious and dd and I both enjoyed it.

Definitely one I'll do again.

Spendy day after all yesterday but all needs rather than wants. £100 return to college trainers for DS, they had £70 off them at least. He rarely asks for anything so that was fine. £27.98 PE hoodie DD. £87.50 adult passport for DS as his child one expired. £10.57 Coop.

em good to hear its eased off. I have a terrible 24 hours and then it's bearable for the rest of the week. I should be stopping soon for the perimenopause; the GP said come back when you are 55 if it still hasn't happened (I'm 51).

Hope the Leeds Fest is going well for the older DC who are there. Your DS sounds like he's having a blast curls

north that sounds a really lovely day. Hope Anglesey was just as good.

I rate Body Shop moisturisers girlie they are in the £20 region but 50ml tubes. They have a loyalty club that often generates good offers. I've got dry to normal skin so can't comment on the combination skin product.

Enjoy the cricket club need my DC played for 7 years between them, DD stopped last season and I've missed that community, cricket crazy people as they were!

rum I hope the move back into the house was not too bad, it sounds like the peak I hope and you will start to reap the rewards soon 🙏🙏🙏

mrs am following that Christmas thread, thanks 🙏

I have similar feelings about Oppenheimer so think I'll wait until it comes on digital TV.

Got car repairs coming up in September. DH had a category N write off in June and it's taken until now to find someone to repair it. It's still insured (just checked to be sure lol) and was just the headlight and bumper so driveable. The insurance paid out, then we gave them £550 back to keep the car and we repair it. Its hanging over me as an unknown cost so other house repairs are pending on this. Dreamt that my ceiling was leaking last night, that's the worry over the old roof and guttering and all the recent rain!

Have just discovered that I’ve lost all the paperwork for dd starting school next week. Ffs.

I have found out through the nursery WhatsApp that she’s on a staggered start so it could be Tuesday or we’d or thurs. She will definetly be in on Friday…..

but which day!! Have had to email school. They’ll get back to me on Monday (Inset day).

em just dropped DD off at her school friends and found out totally by chance DD returns on the 6th not the 5th as I'd thought. I didn't read the end of year letter clearly... I'd have had her on the bus a day early 🙈

Afternoon.

Spends today.
£40 shopping (food, cleaning products, shampoo etc).

Filled the car up to the top with crap from the garage to take to the tip tomorrow (not going today, it'll be packed and the Leeds Fest traffic will be a nightmare).

Nice to have a catch up day actually!

Done the same myself re school starts etc 🤣

Hello all, and happy bank holiday. I hope that A level and GCSE results are unwinding in a good way for all concerned.

I have lost track of spends because it's a blur of getting ready to go away and I've given up. I know I will be digging into savings to even things out a bit this month, and I don't care any more.

DH and I are having a nice weekend. We have nearly finished adding the Corten edging in the garden - it's very easy to work with and looks great. I am scrubbing down and weeding, and generally trying to clean up as much as possible before we head off.

Got out early for a nice country ramble this morning, and 'twas lovely. Then DH told me that on 18 September, one day after we arrive back from holiday, we have an Australian couple coming to stay with us for four nights, the London leg of their European tour. Cheers! One half of the couple is one of DH's 'dearest friends', and the other is 'clever, has mobility problems, suffers from depression, anxiety and can be a hostile, critical pain in the arse'. Lovely. We must have them often.

Oh well. I'm sure it will be fine. As long as they're not on the doorstep at crack of sparrows on the 18th, I will have time to get things squared away for houseguests.

Oh Tayto flakey friends. Down with flakey friends. I also started seeing it as saving money when they flaked and generally had a Plan A and they were Plan B (or C).

Sounds like an amazing day North. I’m trepidatiously looking at places I can get to for practice walks before my holiday. A few places in Wales are on the list.

Country rambles are (generally) good Big. Christened my eBay walking shoes this morning. I am pleased with my purchase. The weather was good so a nice stroll was had.

Spending yesterday was about £25 on some BNWT trekking trousers on eBay. I had been looking at them in the shop and couldn’t decide but getting them £24 cheaper doesn’t seem so bad. Am having problems finding short people trousers so am shying away from the more expensive brands. Also spent £1.09 on some chocolate milk. Today was a no spend day.

Thinking if my budget can stretch to a night or two in Paris. I’ve got 20 days holiday to take before the end of the year. Not sure how that’s going to work. This weekend has gone rather quickly. Can’t believe it’s Monday evening already.

Happier I don't know if you spotted it already but the 2nd September is National Cinema Day (in Ireland) and admission tickets will be just €4.

Sound like ideal guests big
boo to the back to school stress kessie and em. I do remember the rush of getting little
ones ready for school.
That’s really annoying tayto when you had plans.
collected DS1 from Leeds fest. Traffic wasn’t as bad as I feared. He and his friend looked pretty rough and DS has been pretty quiet. I think there may have been some romantic trauma but I’ve got this second hand from DD so will have to wait until (if) he wants to tell me. I’ve made him flapjacks and lemon drizzle cake.
also had some photos of DS2 on his holiday in Spain - looks like he’s having a great time.
actually had a NSD yesterday and a LSD today - £2 in charity shops on a book.
hope you’ve got your village back need, I thought of you when I was driving!

LSD £8.25 and £4.20 for food for tomorrow. Planned visit to theme park (need it like a hole in the head but it's booked now as friend asked to go) but taking picnic to save money on food.

Ah hope the flapjacks and lemon drizzle cheer your DS up martha a good night's sleep might help too.

tayto national cinema day here in England too. I may be watching Oppenheimer yet!

Agree it's nice to have a catch up day need a fair bit of cooking done here, which does help with the budget.

Hope your guests arrive late on the 18th big

Paris for a few days sounds blissful rum.

Well DS made it home from Leeds safe and sound. He had an amazing time by the sounds of it, saw loads of music, even the on site Co-op had its own Dj! To sum up, he said he survived on caffeine, alcohol, junk food and half a bottle of water! I mean the food he had sounded pretty good to be honest, lots of street food. And yes he did get up, brush his teeth and then grab a beer in the morning. But it sounds like he had such an amazing time. The killers, billie eilish and lots of other bands I don’t know. A rave in a forest. An experience he’ll never forget.

I had a sudden panic and checked the term return dates 🤣 DH and I are back to work on Friday, DC on Monday as I thought! Can’t believe my big stretch of time off is nearly over, not done a lot, but had really needed the down time after a stressful few months.

Fallen off the thread a bit, so will try and get back to being frugal.

Our back gutter had been overflowing badly when it rained. DH got the ladder out and got three tennis balls out, including one which was blocking the down pipe so hopefully that is now sorted.

I walked to M&S and spent £14 on rinse aid and treats for a day out tomorrow. Our Tesco only sells brand rinse aid so M&S is cheapest. We keep finding our local Tesco keeps stopping selling some of the cheaper own brands now so we need to start going to the superstore one more often. Fortunately DH works close to one, so I need to be organised and write him a list.

Ah glad your DS had a good time curls it sounds like you’ve got more out of him than I did! A rave in a forest sounds great…even I would have liked a rave in a forest! Provided there was a nice cup of tea afterwards.
Hope you’ve not got too much back to work blues time.
Thanks kessie - I must be the lone voice here as I really liked Oppenheimer and didn’t think it dragged. But I can watch a lot of Cillian Murphy though 💙

Didn't make it to Anglesey but did have a fab & relatively frugal time. We decided against Anglesey because of the iffy weather & yesterday went to Bodnant Gardens which were fab & I'd highly recommend if you're in the area. It's NT & dh & I are members, and they waved dd through without paying! Had a cafe tea & then a few drinks at the local pub. Today we had to pack up & went to Chester on the way home. It was lovely & we got ds' birthday presents while we were there. Now home and really not looking forward to going to work in the morning....

I did thanks tayto I got the email but I'm booked in to get my hair done at 1:45 so that rules out going to something by myself & dc are home at 6 so very limited in what they can go to after that

Had a nice day out in my dads village Ystd, they had a fun day going on and dog show. Our little dog cleaned up on the prizes as he's so cute and can do lots of tricks 😁

Spent around £15 on various stalls and the dog show.

My dads going to help towards the flooring which is kind of him.

Back to work today 🫤

Catch - up post alert!
Thurs
Parking 60c
Haircut ds €0 as they were closed!
Ice-cream €11.10
Swimming €18
Dunnes €76 on swimsuit socks & underwear for dd and a top for me but I'll be returning it €25 used €5 valueclub vouchers
Fri
top up shop €18.76

Diesel €66
Bar €1.80 to make change for amusements
Amusements €55
Sat - spendy final back to school spends & a decent grocery shop
€10 getting two keys cut
€10 approx on materials to make a drinks pocket on ds's school bag because netting tore and he likes that bag. Made it out of a non slip liner that goes underneath a rug/mat and some elastic, took 1.5 hours and I'm not a seamstress, but I'm pleased with the result.

Aldi €176.84
Bakery €9/50
Deli €8.80 for dc, I ate leftovers at home
Drinks €18.70
Tickets for Comedy Gig paid a few weeks ago €34
Dinner BF paid

Sun - Dessert with dd prior to her starting secondary school €18.50 Giant cookie skillet to share, was delicious
Mon - NSD
Tues - NSD
Wed - will break the streak as car is in the garage, although he probably won't have it made up yet so it might be another NSD!!

Sounds like lovely bank holiday Mondays were had by all
curls sounds like ds had a great time
marthasmum if you ever want to make me flapjacks and lemon drizzle cake don't be shy
rum I'm jealous of all the annual leave you've left, I've about 4.5 days left
girlie the only issue I have with risotto is it's very samey, as in no variety, every mouthful is the same but I do love it too

girlie and em I'm listening to 'its just your hormones' by Dr Mary Ryan who I'm actually on a waiting list to see at the moment and she says that a period should only be painful on day 1 and after that light cramping and not last longer than 3/4 days and if it does there's something amiss.

tayto I've been your daughter as a teenager and I turned out ok I also was not a lotto person but have been buying local gaa lotto all summer long as it's €20k plus can buy 5 weeks for €10 online, I'll put half towards a car and the other half towards a campervan when if I win I've been ogling a volvo xc60, toyota avensis and a suzuki vitara

Afternoon everyone
spends today
Savers for otc meds £10
market stall £9 cakes , biscuits sweets for Mum
Coffee and Welsh cakes for Mum , myself & Dh took her out for a change she enjoyed it well worth £15
Morrisons £40
Kessie it's a great thread
Hope everyone is ok and you find the paperwork Em